STORRS >> Sean Marinan has watched his father, the tremendously-successful head coach at Xavier High School, on the football field on countless times. It is safe to say that none of those times will compare to what will take place around 4 p.m. on Saturday.

They celebrated together as the Falcons won back to back CIAC Class LL titles when the younger Marinan was a junior and senior and then again when Xavier made it three championships in a row during Marinan’s freshman year at UConn. Now Sean Jr. will walk onto the football field for likely the final time. However, before he plays his first snap, he will be among the 18 players to make the emotional walk to meet their loved ones during the Senior Day festivities preceding the UConn-Tulane game.

“I think that will be great,” Marinan said. “Hopefully I make my parents proud, they tell me that I do so I think it will be great for them, great for me because they have been with me through this whole experience, helping me stick through it when it has been tough and helping me celebrate the great times.”

More Information

TULANE AT UCONN

When: Saturday, 4 p.m.

Where: Rentschler Field, East Hartford

Records: Tulane 3-8 (0-7 AAC); UConn 3-8 (1-6)

TV: ESPNews

Internet: ESPN3

Radio: WTIC-1080, WAVZ-1300

5 THINGS TO WATCH

1. Points at a premium: In the last two games between these teams, there has been one offensive touchdown scored. UConn cornerback Jamar Summers had the only TD in the 2015 game and the defense may need to give the struggling offenses a boost. Tulane ranks last nationally with a 90.9 passing efficiency rating and a 41 percent completion percentage, the lowest since Army’s 38.1 percent mark in 2011. Meanwhile, UConn is the only FBS team yet to score in the first quarter and the Huskies have the fewest yards in the first quarter this season. The Huskies have only led for 9:30 in the first quarter and 31:38 in the first half this season. Along with Wake Forest, they are the only two teams to rank 100th or lower in total offense in each of the last four seasons with the Huskies the only squad to hold that distinction during each of the last five season.

2. Productive seniors: Only eight seniors are on UConn’s offensive or defensive two-deep chart, but the class makes up for in quality what it may lack in quantity. Safety Obi Melifonwu can become the first Husky to lead the team in tackles and interceptions in the same season since Danny Lansanah in 2006 and needs 14 tackles to break into the top 10 on UConn’s career list. Noel Thomas already holds the single-season receptions record. With 60 receiving yards he would move up four spots and into second place in that category. He is already fourth in career catches and eighth in career receiving yards. Justin Wain is third in career punting yards and tied for fourth in career punts while Bobby Puyol is third with 39 career field goals and eighth with 177 career points. Guard Richard Levy would move into sole possession of third place with his 37th straight start.

3. Bucking a trend: Donovan Williams is set to make his third career start. History has not been kind to true freshmen starters at quarterback for UConn as the Huskies have lost the last 14 games started by a quarterback one year removed from high school. Williams is 0-2, Tim Boyle was 0-4 in 2013, Dennis Brown 0-2 in 2005 and Dan Orlovsky lost his last six games in 2001. Orlovsky was the last true freshman QB to lead UConn to victory as he threw for 180 yards and a touchdown in a 19-0 win over Eastern Michigan on Oct. 6, 2001.

4. Hit the ground running: No FBS team has made more of an improvement in rushing offense than Tulane. The Green Wave went from averaging 115.6 yards per game and 3.5 yards per carry during the 2015 season to 225.64 rushing yards per contest and 4.6 yards per attempt. Auburn is the only other FBS team to average 100 more rushing yards per game during the 2016 season than in 2015. Dontrell Hilliard leads the way once again but seniors Josh Rounds and Lazedrick Thompson combine for 98 yards per game after managing less than 31 yards per game between them a season ago.

5. Turning the page: Tulane is one of 11 FBS teams with at least 10 fumbles recovered and 10 fumbles lost. The Green Wave are tied for second nationally with 13 fumble recoveries. Tulane has seven touchdowns and five field goals on drives starting with a takeaway. On the other end of the spectrum, Green Wave opponents have scored five defensive touchdowns this season. UConn was minus four in turnover margin in the BC loss, the first time that has happened since a 2013 game against Louisville.

— Jim Fuller

Marinan’s work in the classroom and on the field was impressive enough for him to draw interest from Ivy League schools and for UConn football coach Bob Diaco to call him “one of the best students on campus.” Marinan could have gone that route or headed to another Football Championship Subdivision program and likely would have been a two or three-year starter. Marinan chose to accept an offer to be a preferred walk-on at UConn. Paul Pasqualoni, the coach who made the offer, was long gone by the time Marinan’s hard work was rewarded when UConn coach Bob Diaco offered Marinan a scholarship after his junior season.

“It was a great honor and I couldn’t thank Coach Diaco more,” Marinan said. “The chance that he gave me, the scholarship and everything he has done it was great.

“If I had to go back, I would do it all over again. It has been good and bad. What was bad was hard, it made me a better person and what was good was great, I enjoyed it so much, I couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Marinan has been a regular on special teams dating back to his sophomore season. He’s a mainstay as the punt protecting trio that has helped Justin Wain become one of the most effective punters in UConn history. By his junior season Marinan worked himself into the defensive line rotation. He had three games with two tackles including one in the St. Petersburg Bowl. He was credited with a share of a tackle for loss in a game against Cincinnati.

With Mikal Myers and Cole Ormsby moving into starting roles, Marinan found himself as the veteran among the second-team defensive line. Marinan had two tackles for loss and his first career sack in a loss to Temple earlier this month.

Marinan has 11 of his 20 career tackles this season including five in the last two games but his greatest impact might be as a mentor for the young, promising reserve defensive linemen as Sheriden Lawley and Kevin Murphy have seemingly improved with each passing week culminating with the duo splitting a sack in last week’s loss at Boston College.

“I help them where they need it, help them with little technique parts but on their part, they both work very hard,” Marinan said. “I have done so little compared to what they have done to produce what they are producing. It is a lot of credit to them and all the credit to them. I love when we all make plays especially all the guys on the D-line, I am happy for my teammates, the more plays that they make the better we are.”

Marinan, who has been honored on multiple occasions for attaining a 4.0 grade-point average in a semester since arriving at UConn, won’t lack for opportunities in the future. He will prepare for UConn’s pro day and with classmates Obi Melifonwu and Noel Thomas already attracting interest from NFL scouts, it figures to be a well-attended event. Marinan would like to head into coaching if the pro teams don’t come calling. However, don’t expect him to join his father’s staff at Xavier.

“I’ve always wanted to coach but it has always been ‘what level do I want to coach at,’” Marinan said. “The experience in college and getting info from my father, I think the college level is the best one to start at and the best one to learn. I think I will be surrounded by the most amount of people.”

There’s no doubting that Marinan’s father has been a positive role model for him. So what makes his dad such a successful coach?

“I could go on for hours and hours but one of the things that stands out to me the most is how much he cares about his players,” Marinan said. “It is not just about caring about making them good football players but he cares about them as people, getting them into college, helping them with crisis. I can’t tell you how many players still call my dad if something bad happens, ‘hey Coach I don’t know what to do.’ How much he cares and he really takes it personal, I envy that and I hope I can be as good of a coach as he can.”